{"id":166590,"date":"2024-08-26T13:18:14","date_gmt":"2024-08-26T11:18:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/?p=166590"},"modified":"2024-08-26T13:20:34","modified_gmt":"2024-08-26T11:20:34","slug":"rector-to-new-students-let-the-community-suffocate-loneliness","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/en\/rector-to-new-students-let-the-community-suffocate-loneliness\/","title":{"rendered":"Rector to new students: \u00bbLet the community suffocate the loneliness\u00ab"},"content":{"rendered":"

[This is the written version of his speech released to the University Post beforehand, check against delivery, ed.]<\/em><\/p>\n

Dear new students,<\/p>\n

In these historical settings. History is about to hit you. Rector no. 259 in a Dumbledore outfit. At a university founded in 1479. Here at the gates to the empire of knowledge. Guarded by an eagle with a speech bubble in Latin. On a square with statues of stone-dead MEN of science. In these historical settings it’s not just an honour to welcome you. It\u2019s also an infusion of renewal and youth into the University’s 545-year-old body.<\/p>\n

So dear students:<\/p>\n

\u2018Holy Flame\u2019 \u2013 which the choir sang just before \u2013 is not just a magnificent song from 1839. It\u2019s the fire in your eyes. 2024 is not just the year when King Frederik the 10th came to the throne.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s also a new generation coming in. When you \u2013 students of 2024 – on this day and in this place are admitted to the University.<\/p>\n

Forget Store Bededag. Today is Great Uni Day. A day filled with peace, love and science. So much so that the statues might crack up laughing. And the eagle up there spread its wings. Fly up high and “gaze toward the heavenly light” \u2013 as it says in the speech bubble.<\/p>\n

Now, let me introduce the university\u2019s leadership. I will do it in one go. As we have several faculties and many programmes. But only one university.<\/p>\n

Dean of the Faculty of Theology Carsten Selch Jensen.
\nDean of the Faculty of Law Jacob Graff Nielsen
\nDean of the Faculty of Social Sciences Vibeke Koushede.
\nDean of the Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences Bente Stallknecht.
\nDean of the Faculty of Humanities Kirsten Busch Nielsen
\nDean of the Faculty of Science Katrine Krogh Andersen
\nProrector for Education Kristian Cedervall Lauta
\nProrector for Research David Dreyer Lassen<\/p>\n

And finally, not in a gown, but with the University’s cash holdings in his inner pocket, University Director S\u00f8ren Munk Skydsgaard.<\/p>\n

What\u2019s it like to be a new student at university? Overwhelming. Doubt creeps in. Have I chosen the “right” course? Am I good enough? Will I understand 100 pages of academic English for tomorrow? Can I find an apartment that doesn’t cost a MacBook a month?<\/p>\n

And worst: Will I make friends?<\/p>\n

Doooon’t worry. Doubt is a normal academic feeling. No one is a genius at studying right from the start. Everyone has doubts. Even the confident-looking person sitting next to you who seems to have their life perfectly sorted.<\/p>\n

Now, here\u2019s a warning. Don\u2019t let doubt grow into despair, as S\u00f8ren Kierkegaard said. Endure doubt. Accept doubt. Embrace doubt. Exactly when you almost \u2013 and only almost \u2013 catch the point the teacher has thrown out in the lecture hall. Exactly when you’re on the edge of the known. Exactly at that balancing point is where you learn the most.<\/p>\n

But we \u2013 we \u2013 have a common task. Together at the university. To all those who feel lonely and inadequate. To all those looking for someone to have lunch with. To all those sitting alone scrolling through their phone \u2013 as a social alibi.<\/p>\n

Let the community suffocate loneliness. Let the dinner club starve uncertainty. Let your study group provide the collective strength to crack the code, of even the most difficult equation or text. And please make room for the scrolling stranger at the lunch table.<\/p>\n

Go to the Friday bar – together. Take Tuesday yoga classes – together. Or stay home for a Monday chill-out \u2013 as long as you\u2019re together.<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

I know it’s Friday and party time. Yet, I will ask a big question: What\u2019s the point of going to university?<\/p>\n

Is it the long chain of rational purposes: Get a degree to make mom and dad happy. Get a degree to get job. Get a job to earn a living. Yes, that full package of good purposes is perfectly fine.<\/p>\n

But the point of university is more than that. Just before, the choir sang about the university\u2019s holy flame. The holy flame is your dreams, your hopes and your will to change the world.<\/p>\n

And there\u2019s a lot that needs changing:<\/p>\n

– From fiords with no life to slush-ice on ski slopes.
\n– From antibiotic resistance to anti-democratic resistance.
\n– From Ukraine to Gaza<\/p>\n

The holy flame is also the sustainable fuel behind the new businesses
\nyou may well dare to start.<\/p>\n

So head out to KU Lighthouse on Tagensvej. Where student start-ups meet in a great community of spirits.<\/p>\n

But the point of university is more than that. 2024 is a significant year in one particular way. Never in the history of democracy have there been so many elections. 4.2 billion people \u2013 or over half of the world\u2019s population \u2013 are to vote in an election this year. There’s the presidential election in the US, of course, and elections in India, South Africa and Brazil.<\/p>\n

Today, we are at another election \u2013 your choice of university. And choice of academic values that also help uphold democracy.<\/p>\n

Values such as:<\/p>\n

Seeking the truth without claiming that there is only one.
\nAccepting mistakes.
\nExpecting the unexpected.
\nBasing decisions on knowledge.
\nAdvocating for a cause \u2013 even getting angry about injustices.
\nListening to people you don\u2019t agree with \u2013 even people with a totally different view of the world.<\/p>\n

With the hope that we all, in the end, become wiser as individuals and as humanity.<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

Now let\u2019s proceed with a classic ritual at the University of Copenhagen: The symbolic handshake.<\/p>\n

Fortunately, I get a helping hand from the Prorector for education, Kristian Cedervall Lauta.<\/p>\n

The handshake signifies that you as new students promise to abide by the university’s medieval rules – which I won\u2019t repeat in Latin. In modern-day language, the rules mean: “Behave well and look after each other”.<\/p>\n

Or summed up in a series of words that unite all the points of my speech.<\/p>\n

Create a university of Renewal, Community, Power to change and Understanding for others.<\/p>\n

And finally: Have a great time at the party on North Campus today.<\/p>\n

Welcome to the University of Copenhagen!
\n<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Rector Henrik C. Wegener welcomed new students at the Matriculation Ceremony Friday. Here is the full text of his speech<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":9,"featured_media":166631,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_uf_show_specific_survey":0,"_uf_disable_surveys":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3792],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-166590","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-student-life","expression-portrait_article"],"acf":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"yoast_head":"\nRector to new students: \u00bbLet the community suffocate loneliness\u00ab \u2014 University Post<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Rector Henrik C. Wegener welcomed new students at the Matriculation Ceremony Friday. Here is the full text of his speech\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/en\/rector-to-new-students-let-the-community-suffocate-loneliness\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Rector to new students: \u00bbLet the community suffocate loneliness\u00ab \u2014 University Post\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Rector Henrik C. Wegener welcomed new students at the Matriculation Ceremony Friday. Here is the full text of his speech\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/en\/rector-to-new-students-let-the-community-suffocate-loneliness\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"University Post\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/uniavis\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2024-08-26T11:18:14+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2024-08-26T11:20:34+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"http:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/immatrikulation_3.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1000\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"667\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Mike Young\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:image\" content=\"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/immatrikulation_3.jpg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@Uniavisen\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@Uniavisen\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Mike Young\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"5 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/uniavisen.dk\\\/en\\\/rector-to-new-students-let-the-community-suffocate-loneliness\\\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/uniavisen.dk\\\/en\\\/rector-to-new-students-let-the-community-suffocate-loneliness\\\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Mike Young\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/uniavisen.dk\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/e62b3eb6724edd81b313e91617c23614\"},\"headline\":\"Rector to new students: \u00bbLet the community suffocate the loneliness\u00ab\",\"datePublished\":\"2024-08-26T11:18:14+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2024-08-26T11:20:34+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/uniavisen.dk\\\/en\\\/rector-to-new-students-let-the-community-suffocate-loneliness\\\/\"},\"wordCount\":1038,\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/uniavisen.dk\\\/en\\\/rector-to-new-students-let-the-community-suffocate-loneliness\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/uniavisen.dk\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2024\\\/08\\\/immatrikulation_3.jpg\",\"articleSection\":[\"Student life\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/uniavisen.dk\\\/en\\\/rector-to-new-students-let-the-community-suffocate-loneliness\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/uniavisen.dk\\\/en\\\/rector-to-new-students-let-the-community-suffocate-loneliness\\\/\",\"name\":\"Rector to new students: \u00bbLet the community suffocate loneliness\u00ab \u2014 University Post\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/uniavisen.dk\\\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/uniavisen.dk\\\/en\\\/rector-to-new-students-let-the-community-suffocate-loneliness\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/uniavisen.dk\\\/en\\\/rector-to-new-students-let-the-community-suffocate-loneliness\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/uniavisen.dk\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2024\\\/08\\\/immatrikulation_3.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2024-08-26T11:18:14+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2024-08-26T11:20:34+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/uniavisen.dk\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/e62b3eb6724edd81b313e91617c23614\"},\"description\":\"Rector Henrik C. Wegener welcomed new students at the Matriculation Ceremony Friday. Here is the full text of his speech\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/uniavisen.dk\\\/en\\\/rector-to-new-students-let-the-community-suffocate-loneliness\\\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/uniavisen.dk\\\/en\\\/rector-to-new-students-let-the-community-suffocate-loneliness\\\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/uniavisen.dk\\\/en\\\/rector-to-new-students-let-the-community-suffocate-loneliness\\\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/uniavisen.dk\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2024\\\/08\\\/immatrikulation_3.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/uniavisen.dk\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2024\\\/08\\\/immatrikulation_3.jpg\",\"width\":1000,\"height\":667},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/uniavisen.dk\\\/en\\\/rector-to-new-students-let-the-community-suffocate-loneliness\\\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/uniavisen.dk\\\/en\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Rector to new students: \u00bbLet the community suffocate the loneliness\u00ab\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/uniavisen.dk\\\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/uniavisen.dk\\\/\",\"name\":\"University Post\",\"description\":\"Independent of management\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\\\/\\\/uniavisen.dk\\\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/uniavisen.dk\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/e62b3eb6724edd81b313e91617c23614\",\"name\":\"Mike Young\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/58fa1859e442a44d8f91b854bb6c677ab6189a1e6552a74cffa1de32c303eecb?s=96&d=identicon&r=g\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/58fa1859e442a44d8f91b854bb6c677ab6189a1e6552a74cffa1de32c303eecb?s=96&d=identicon&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/58fa1859e442a44d8f91b854bb6c677ab6189a1e6552a74cffa1de32c303eecb?s=96&d=identicon&r=g\",\"caption\":\"Mike Young\"},\"sameAs\":[\"christoffer\"],\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/uniavisen.dk\\\/en\\\/author\\\/mike\\\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Rector to new students: \u00bbLet the community suffocate loneliness\u00ab \u2014 University Post","description":"Rector Henrik C. Wegener welcomed new students at the Matriculation Ceremony Friday. Here is the full text of his speech","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/en\/rector-to-new-students-let-the-community-suffocate-loneliness\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Rector to new students: \u00bbLet the community suffocate loneliness\u00ab \u2014 University Post","og_description":"Rector Henrik C. Wegener welcomed new students at the Matriculation Ceremony Friday. Here is the full text of his speech","og_url":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/en\/rector-to-new-students-let-the-community-suffocate-loneliness\/","og_site_name":"University Post","article_publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/uniavis","article_published_time":"2024-08-26T11:18:14+00:00","article_modified_time":"2024-08-26T11:20:34+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1000,"height":667,"url":"http:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/immatrikulation_3.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"Mike Young","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_image":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/immatrikulation_3.jpg","twitter_creator":"@Uniavisen","twitter_site":"@Uniavisen","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Mike Young","Est. reading time":"5 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/en\/rector-to-new-students-let-the-community-suffocate-loneliness\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/en\/rector-to-new-students-let-the-community-suffocate-loneliness\/"},"author":{"name":"Mike Young","@id":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/#\/schema\/person\/e62b3eb6724edd81b313e91617c23614"},"headline":"Rector to new students: \u00bbLet the community suffocate the loneliness\u00ab","datePublished":"2024-08-26T11:18:14+00:00","dateModified":"2024-08-26T11:20:34+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/en\/rector-to-new-students-let-the-community-suffocate-loneliness\/"},"wordCount":1038,"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/en\/rector-to-new-students-let-the-community-suffocate-loneliness\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/immatrikulation_3.jpg","articleSection":["Student life"],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/en\/rector-to-new-students-let-the-community-suffocate-loneliness\/","url":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/en\/rector-to-new-students-let-the-community-suffocate-loneliness\/","name":"Rector to new students: \u00bbLet the community suffocate loneliness\u00ab \u2014 University Post","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/en\/rector-to-new-students-let-the-community-suffocate-loneliness\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/en\/rector-to-new-students-let-the-community-suffocate-loneliness\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/immatrikulation_3.jpg","datePublished":"2024-08-26T11:18:14+00:00","dateModified":"2024-08-26T11:20:34+00:00","author":{"@id":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/#\/schema\/person\/e62b3eb6724edd81b313e91617c23614"},"description":"Rector Henrik C. Wegener welcomed new students at the Matriculation Ceremony Friday. Here is the full text of his speech","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/en\/rector-to-new-students-let-the-community-suffocate-loneliness\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/en\/rector-to-new-students-let-the-community-suffocate-loneliness\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/en\/rector-to-new-students-let-the-community-suffocate-loneliness\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/immatrikulation_3.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/immatrikulation_3.jpg","width":1000,"height":667},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/en\/rector-to-new-students-let-the-community-suffocate-loneliness\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/en\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Rector to new students: \u00bbLet the community suffocate the loneliness\u00ab"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/#website","url":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/","name":"University Post","description":"Independent of management","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/#\/schema\/person\/e62b3eb6724edd81b313e91617c23614","name":"Mike Young","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/58fa1859e442a44d8f91b854bb6c677ab6189a1e6552a74cffa1de32c303eecb?s=96&d=identicon&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/58fa1859e442a44d8f91b854bb6c677ab6189a1e6552a74cffa1de32c303eecb?s=96&d=identicon&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/58fa1859e442a44d8f91b854bb6c677ab6189a1e6552a74cffa1de32c303eecb?s=96&d=identicon&r=g","caption":"Mike Young"},"sameAs":["christoffer"],"url":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/en\/author\/mike\/"}]}},"advancedCustomFields":{"expression":{"term_id":14,"name":"Portrait Article","slug":"portrait_article","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":14,"taxonomy":"expression","description":"","parent":0,"count":796,"filter":"raw"},"enable_comments":true,"align_content":"alignleft","feature_color":"","article_updated":"","layout_group":[{"acf_fc_layout":"Headline","use_post_title":true,"headline":"","style":"default","highlighted_words":"","text_size":"small"},{"acf_fc_layout":"Image","image":{"ID":166631,"id":166631,"title":"immatrikulation_3","filename":"immatrikulation_3.jpg","filesize":115660,"url":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/immatrikulation_3.jpg","link":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/en\/rector-to-new-students-let-the-community-suffocate-loneliness\/immatrikulation_3\/","alt":"","author":"9","description":"","caption":"","name":"immatrikulation_3","status":"inherit","uploaded_to":166590,"date":"2024-08-26 11:08:57","modified":"2024-08-26 11:09:14","menu_order":0,"mime_type":"image\/jpeg","type":"image","subtype":"jpeg","icon":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/wp-includes\/images\/media\/default.png","width":1000,"height":667,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/immatrikulation_3-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/immatrikulation_3-480x320.jpg","medium-width":480,"medium-height":320,"medium_large":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/immatrikulation_3-768x512.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":512,"large":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/immatrikulation_3.jpg","large-width":1000,"large-height":667,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/immatrikulation_3.jpg","1536x1536-width":1000,"1536x1536-height":667,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/immatrikulation_3.jpg","2048x2048-width":1000,"2048x2048-height":667,"featured-soft":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/immatrikulation_3-290x193.jpg","featured-soft-width":290,"featured-soft-height":193,"featured-hard":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/immatrikulation_3-290x180.jpg","featured-hard-width":290,"featured-hard-height":180,"narrow":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/immatrikulation_3-700x467.jpg","narrow-width":700,"narrow-height":467,"extended":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/immatrikulation_3-990x660.jpg","extended-width":990,"extended-height":660}},"style":"extended","text_placement":"metadata-below","image_link_url":"","image_link_title":"","caption_prefix":"","enable_alternative_caption":false,"alternative_caption":""},{"acf_fc_layout":"Standfirst","subject":"","text":"Rector Henrik C. Wegener welcomed new students at the Matriculation Ceremony Friday. Here is the full text of his speech","use_post_excerpt":false},{"acf_fc_layout":"Byline","is_author":false,"contributors":[{"use_registered_user":false,"user":false,"contributor_name":"Henrik C. Wegener","contributor_title":"Rector","contributor_image":false}]},{"acf_fc_layout":"Content","content":"<p><em>[This is the written version of his speech released to the University Post beforehand, check against delivery, ed.]<\/em><\/p>\n<p>Dear new students,<\/p>\n<p>In these historical settings. History is about to hit you. Rector no. 259 in a Dumbledore outfit. At a university founded in 1479. Here at the gates to the empire of knowledge. Guarded by an eagle with a speech bubble in Latin. On a square with statues of stone-dead MEN of science. In these historical settings it’s not just an honour to welcome you. It\u2019s also an infusion of renewal and youth into the University’s 545-year-old body.<\/p>\n<p>So dear students:<\/p>\n<p>\u2018Holy Flame\u2019 \u2013 which the choir sang just before \u2013 is not just a magnificent song from 1839. It\u2019s the fire in your eyes. 2024 is not just the year when King Frederik the 10th came to the throne.<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s also a new generation coming in. When you \u2013 students of 2024 – on this day and in this place are admitted to the University.<\/p>\n<p>Forget Store Bededag. Today is Great Uni Day. A day filled with peace, love and science. So much so that the statues might crack up laughing. And the eagle up there spread its wings. Fly up high and “gaze toward the heavenly light” \u2013 as it says in the speech bubble.<\/p>\n<p>Now, let me introduce the university\u2019s leadership. I will do it in one go. As we have several faculties and many programmes. But only one university.<\/p>\n<p>Dean of the Faculty of Theology Carsten Selch Jensen.<br \/>\nDean of the Faculty of Law Jacob Graff Nielsen<br \/>\nDean of the Faculty of Social Sciences Vibeke Koushede.<br \/>\nDean of the Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences Bente Stallknecht.<br \/>\nDean of the Faculty of Humanities Kirsten Busch Nielsen<br \/>\nDean of the Faculty of Science Katrine Krogh Andersen<br \/>\nProrector for Education Kristian Cedervall Lauta<br \/>\nProrector for Research David Dreyer Lassen<\/p>\n<p>And finally, not in a gown, but with the University’s cash holdings in his inner pocket, University Director S\u00f8ren Munk Skydsgaard.<\/p>\n<p>What\u2019s it like to be a new student at university? Overwhelming. Doubt creeps in. Have I chosen the “right” course? Am I good enough? Will I understand 100 pages of academic English for tomorrow? Can I find an apartment that doesn’t cost a MacBook a month?<\/p>\n<p>And worst: Will I make friends?<\/p>\n<p>Doooon’t worry. Doubt is a normal academic feeling. No one is a genius at studying right from the start. Everyone has doubts. Even the confident-looking person sitting next to you who seems to have their life perfectly sorted.<\/p>\n<p>Now, here\u2019s a warning. Don\u2019t let doubt grow into despair, as S\u00f8ren Kierkegaard said. Endure doubt. Accept doubt. Embrace doubt. Exactly when you almost \u2013 and only almost \u2013 catch the point the teacher has thrown out in the lecture hall. Exactly when you’re on the edge of the known. Exactly at that balancing point is where you learn the most.<\/p>\n<p>But we \u2013 we \u2013 have a common task. Together at the university. To all those who feel lonely and inadequate. To all those looking for someone to have lunch with. To all those sitting alone scrolling through their phone \u2013 as a social alibi.<\/p>\n<p>Let the community suffocate loneliness. Let the dinner club starve uncertainty. Let your study group provide the collective strength to crack the code, of even the most difficult equation or text. And please make room for the scrolling stranger at the lunch table.<\/p>\n<p>Go to the Friday bar – together. Take Tuesday yoga classes – together. Or stay home for a Monday chill-out \u2013 as long as you\u2019re together.<\/p>\n<p>***<\/p>\n<p>I know it’s Friday and party time. Yet, I will ask a big question: What\u2019s the point of going to university?<\/p>\n<p>Is it the long chain of rational purposes: Get a degree to make mom and dad happy. Get a degree to get job. Get a job to earn a living. Yes, that full package of good purposes is perfectly fine.<\/p>\n<p>But the point of university is more than that. Just before, the choir sang about the university\u2019s holy flame. The holy flame is your dreams, your hopes and your will to change the world.<\/p>\n<p>And there\u2019s a lot that needs changing:<\/p>\n<p>– From fiords with no life to slush-ice on ski slopes.<br \/>\n– From antibiotic resistance to anti-democratic resistance.<br \/>\n– From Ukraine to Gaza<\/p>\n<p>The holy flame is also the sustainable fuel behind the new businesses<br \/>\nyou may well dare to start.<\/p>\n<p>So head out to KU Lighthouse on Tagensvej. Where student start-ups meet in a great community of spirits.<\/p>\n<p>But the point of university is more than that. 2024 is a significant year in one particular way. Never in the history of democracy have there been so many elections. 4.2 billion people \u2013 or over half of the world\u2019s population \u2013 are to vote in an election this year. There’s the presidential election in the US, of course, and elections in India, South Africa and Brazil.<\/p>\n<p>Today, we are at another election \u2013 your choice of university. And choice of academic values that also help uphold democracy.<\/p>\n<p>Values such as:<\/p>\n<p>Seeking the truth without claiming that there is only one.<br \/>\nAccepting mistakes.<br \/>\nExpecting the unexpected.<br \/>\nBasing decisions on knowledge.<br \/>\nAdvocating for a cause \u2013 even getting angry about injustices.<br \/>\nListening to people you don\u2019t agree with \u2013 even people with a totally different view of the world.<\/p>\n<p>With the hope that we all, in the end, become wiser as individuals and as humanity.<\/p>\n<p>***<\/p>\n<p>Now let\u2019s proceed with a classic ritual at the University of Copenhagen: The symbolic handshake.<\/p>\n<p>Fortunately, I get a helping hand from the Prorector for education, Kristian Cedervall Lauta.<\/p>\n<p>The handshake signifies that you as new students promise to abide by the university’s medieval rules – which I won\u2019t repeat in Latin. In modern-day language, the rules mean: “Behave well and look after each other”.<\/p>\n<p>Or summed up in a series of words that unite all the points of my speech.<\/p>\n<p>Create a university of Renewal, Community, Power to change and Understanding for others.<\/p>\n<p>And finally: Have a great time at the party on North Campus today.<\/p>\n<p>Welcome to the University of Copenhagen!<\/p>\n"},{"acf_fc_layout":"ArticleEnd"},{"acf_fc_layout":"Newsletter","lang_select":"en","identifier":"Newsletter","headline":"Get an email with our top stories","button_text":"Sign up here","class":""},{"acf_fc_layout":"OtherStories","headline":"","hand_picked_posts":false,"references":false,"category":false,"theme":false,"number_of_posts":"4","style":"default"}]},"taxonomyData":{"category":[{"term_id":3792,"name":"Student life","slug":"student-life","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":3792,"taxonomy":"category","description":"","parent":0,"count":160,"filter":"raw"}],"post_tag":[],"post_format":[],"expression":[{"term_id":14,"name":"Portrait Article","slug":"portrait_article","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":14,"taxonomy":"expression","description":"","parent":0,"count":796,"filter":"raw"}],"translation_priority":[{"term_id":5468,"name":"Optional","slug":"optional-en","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":5468,"taxonomy":"translation_priority","description":"","parent":0,"count":672,"filter":"raw"}]},"featured_media_url":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/immatrikulation_3.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/166590","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/9"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=166590"}],"version-history":[{"count":13,"href":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/166590\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":166638,"href":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/166590\/revisions\/166638"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/166631"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=166590"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=166590"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/uniavisen.dk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=166590"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}